Traveling case



D. REISMANN TRAVELING CASE Dec. 31,1935.

Filed Dec. 1'7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dc.31, 1935. D R,SMANN 2,026,360

` TRAVELING CASE Filed Dec. 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fw @f Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 17, 1934, Serial No. 757,798 In Czechoslovakia January 12, 1934 10 Claims.

This invention relates to trunks and suitcases of the portable-wardrobe type, and has for its object to increase the eiliciency and convenience in use of articles of this nature.

It is already known to provide suit-cases with a self-contained wardrobe fitting consisting of two inter-articulated frame-like portions which are housed within the case when the latter is closed, and which can be opened' out and erected to form a wardrobe rack when the case is open.

The present invention relates to trunks and suit-cases equipped in this manner, and comprises particular features of the `construction both of the trunk or suit-case itself and also of the collapsible ward-robe iitment contained therein. In accordance with the invention, the bottom or body portion of the trunk or suitcase, in which the collapsed wardrobe tment is housed, is made with rigid walls and connected along one edge to the top or lid portion which has rigid side walls for a part of its depth and is collapsible and expansible for the remainder of its depth. Further, the portion of the collapsible wardrobe fitment which lies uppermost in the collapsed condition is provided with an auxiliary frame which is capable of being extended into the additional space obtained by the expansion of the lid portion, thus enabling a larger number of garments to be coped with.

A form of construction embodying the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a suit-case in accordance with the invention, in the open condition, with the wardrobe tment folded out and erected.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the open suitcase with the wardrobe tment in the collapsed condition.

Fig. 3 shows the lid distended.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the construction of the device for the suspension of the clothes hangers.

Fig. 6 shows a clothes hanger for use with the present invention.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the manner in which the two parts of the wardrobe tment are connected together.

The trunk or suit-case according to the invention consists of a rigid-walled bottom or body portion I with compartments for different classes of articles and adapted to accommodate the wardrobe tment in the collapsed condition. The partition 2 serves as a support for the wardrobe tment and is of such height that the latter is held approximately parallel to the bottom of the trunk or suit-case. The wardrobe tment itself consists essentially of the frame portions 3, 4. To the lower part 3 there are articulated props 5 the free ends of which engage by means of studs 6 in guide slots 'l provided with end detents 8, 9 for determining the end positions 5 of the props 5 and therefore also of the wardrobe fitment as a whole. The part 3 is pivoted to the body portion I of the trunk or suit case by means of hinges Ill, and is articulated by means of hinges I I to the upper part 4 of the 1o wardrobe tment. Along the joint between the parts 3 and 4, and covering the hinges Il, there is provided a roll I2 preferably of fairly stiff leather which prevents the clothes from becoming sharply creased when the wardrobe tl5 ment is collapsed and the trunk or suit-case closed and fastened down. On the part 4 there are provided parallel clasps I3, I4 which grip the side members of the part 3 when the tment is extended, the clasps being provided with a 20 recess adapted to engage a stud I5 on the part 3 and thereby to determine the relative positioning of the parts 3 and 4. The part 4 is equipped with an auxiliary frame I6 which serves to increase, when required, the space en- 25 closed by the part -4 of the wardrobe iitment. This auxiliary frame I6 is provided with slots Il which coact with the guide studs I8 to allow this frame to be slid parallel to the part 4.

The part 4 is further provided with a suspen- 30 sion device for the reception of the lateral hooks I9 of the clothes hangers 29 (Fig. 6). TheV suspension device consists of tubular members 2| which are secured to the part 4 of the wardrobe tment at 22, and which are recessed as at 23 35 (Fig. 5). Within the tubular members 2l there are provided telescoping extension rails 24 provided with a stop 25 which moves within the recess 23 and determines the limiting positions of the extension rail. The length of the rails 24 and 40 of the recesses 23 is such that the enlarged head end 26 of the rails 24 project, with the latter in the .extended condition, beyond the forward edge of the auxiliary frame I6, when the latter is in its operative position, so that there is sufcient clearance at the ends of the rails to admit of the insertion and removal of the clothes hangers one by one, with the end hooks I9 in engagement with the vrails 24.

The top or lid portion of the trunk or suit-case consists of a rigid portion 21 adjoining which there is an extensible bellows portion 29 to which the top sheet. or plate 29 is attached. The extensible' bellows portion 28 can be retained in the collapsed condition by means of straps 30. When it is desired to increase the holding capacity of the trunk or suit-case to the extent permitted by the utilization of the auxiliary frame I6 the straps 30 are rst slackened oir, and the bellows portion 28 then stretched and retained in the extended condition by means of braces 3| which are pivoted about pins 32 on the part 21 (Fig. 3). The space enclosed by the top portion of the trunk or suit-case can thus be augmented to correspond to the increase in holding capacity effected by the use of the auxiliary frame I6, and there will be no danger of the top plate 25 pressing too hard on the clothes in the trunk or suit-case.

The part 3 of the wardrobe fitment is preferably provided with a two-part curtain 33 which is strengthened by inlaid straps 34 and adapted to be closed by means of snap buttons 35 or Ythe like. This curtain tends to holdV fast the lower portion of the clothes suspended from the hangers 20, with the result that a stretching action is exerted upon the clothes' when the wardrobe tment is folded down into the collapsed position. In this manner any creases present in the clothes tend to be eliminated, and the clothes will be found to be free from creases when taken out of the trunk or suit-case according to the invention, even after having been stowed away therein for a considerable length of time without interruption.

What I claim is:

1. A traveling case comprising in combination a rigid-walled bottom section, a partly rigidwalled and partly expansible lid section hinged to the said bottom section, a collapsible Wardrobe ltment consisting of two articulately interconnected frame parts pivotally mounted by the lower of the said parts to the said bottom section and adapted when folded back on each other to form a composite frame which ts within the contour of the said bottom section, and an auxiliary telescoping frame associated with the upper of the said parts and adapted to project into the extra lid space obtained by the expansion of the said expansible part of the lid section of the ease.

2. A traveling case comprising in combination a rigid-walled bottom section, at least one transverse partition in the said bottom section of v a height less than the depth of said bottom section, a partly rigid-walled and partly expansible lid section hinged to the said bottom section, a collapsible wardrobe fitment consisting of two articulately interconnected frame parts pivotally mounted by the lower of the said parts to the said bottom section and adapted when folded back on each other to form a composite frame which fits within the contour of the said bottom section and rests upon the said partition, the said partition being of such height that the said wardrobe tment when collapsed lies substantially parallel to the bottom of the case, and an auxiliary telescoping frame associated with the upper of the said parts and adapted to project into the extra lid space obtained by the expansion of the said expansible part of the lid section of the case.

3. A traveling case as claimed in claim 1 in which the said auxiliary frame is slidable on the said upper part by means of slot guides.

4. A traveling case comprising in combination a rigid-walled bottom section, a lid section hinged to the said bottom section and consisting of rigid side walls, a top plate, and an expansible bellows section between the said side walls and top plate, a collapsible wardrobe tment consisting of two articulately interconnected frame parts pivotally mounted by the lower of the said parts to the said bottom section and adapted when folded back on each other to form a composite frame which fits within the contour of the said bottomsection, and an auxiliary telescoping frame associated 5 with the upper of the said parts and adapted to project into the extra lid space obtained by the expansion of the said bellows section.

5. A traveling case as claimed in claim 4, further comprising braces pivoted to the inside of 10 the said side Walls for the purpose of stretching and retaining the said bellows section in the expanded condition. 6. A traveling case comprising in combination a rigid-walledA bottom section, a partly rigid- 15 walled and partly expansible lid section hinged to the said bottom section, a collapsible wardrobe tinent consisting of two articulately interconnected frame parts pivotally mounted by the lower of the said parts to the said bottom section 20 and adapted when folded back on each other to form a composite frame which ts within the contour of the said bottom section, slotted guides attached to the inside of the said bottom section, props pivoted'to the lower of the said frame 25` parts and adapted to engage with their free ends in the said slot guides, arresting detents on the said guides adapted to retain the said props alternatively in a position corresponding to the erected condition of the said wardrobe tment 36 and in a position corresponding to the collapsed condition of the said 4fltment, and an auxiliary telescoping frame associated with the upper of the said parts and adapted to project into the extra lid space obtained by the expansion of the 35 said expansible part of the lid section of the case.

7. A traveling case as claimed in claim 1 further comprising pairs of clasp members attached to the upper of the said frame parts and adapted, on the folding out and erecting of the 40` said wardrobe tment, to come into gripping engagement with the side members of the lower of the said parts, for the purpose of preventing unintentional collapsing of the said tment.

8. A traveling case as claimed in claim 1 45'- further comprising a roll of flexible material disposed along the joint between the said frame parts and attached to the said parts on the side of the said tment furthest removed from the lid section of the case when the said i'ltment is 50 in the erected condition, for the purpose of preventing creasing of the clothes on the collapsing of the said tment.

9. A traveling case comprising'in combination a rigid-walled bottom section, a partly rigid- 55' walled and partly expansible lid section hinged to the said bottom section, a collapsible wardrobe tment consisting of two articulately interconnected frame parts pivotally mounted by the l lower of the said parts to the said bottom section 60 and adapted when folded back on each other to form a composite frame which fits within the contour of the said bottom section, an'auxiliary telescoping frame slidable in slot guides on the upper of the said parts and adapted to project into the extra lid space obtained by the expansion of the said expansible part of the lid section of the case, recessed tubular holders attached to the inside and near the top of the side members of the upper of the said frame parts, extension rails for the suspension of clothes hangers telescoped within the said tubular holders and adapted to project outwards beyond the forward edge of the said auxiliary frame in the position of use,

and a stop on the said rails adapted to engage in the recessed portion of the said holders.

10. A traveling case as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a reinforced curtain associated with the lower of the said frame parts and adapted to be laid With tension across the lower portion of the clothes stowed within the said Wardrobe tment, for the purpose of holding the said clothes fast and causing the same to become stretched by the act of collapsing the wardrobe tment into the case.

DAVID REISMANN. 

